Mr. Speaker, as I reiterated earlier today and as Prime Minister Cameron said yesterday, Canada is indeed an example to follow. To quote the prime minister, “[Canada's] economic leadership has helped the Canadian economy to weather the global storms far better than many of [our] international competitors”.

Today, Canada will continue that economic leadership by calling on the European governments to act swiftly to fix their debt issues and all European economies must tackle their debt overhang quickly to help secure the global economic recovery. Even more, countries with long-term debt problems must put in place and implement credible fiscal consolidation plans now.

Mr. Speaker, Tunisians living in Canada want to vote during the upcoming Tunisian general election, but it seems as though they will not be able to vote because the government is telling them that Canada cannot be an electoral constituency in a foreign assembly.

Does the minister know that Canada and the United States have elected officials in France's National Assembly? Does he know that the constituency being proposed by Tunisia includes Canada and the United States?

Will the minister take the necessary measures to allow Tunisians living in Canada to vote?

Mr. Speaker, we understand full well how important it is to Canadians, especially new Canadians, to be able to exercise their democratic right to vote. However, our government is opposed to Canada being used as an electoral constituency by a foreign country.

However, we wholeheartedly support Tunisia's democratic transition, as we have from the outset.

Mr. Speaker, millions of dollars have been spent on personal travel by the former Governor General and the Chief of the Defence Staff for their vacations, by the defence minister for a fishing trip and by the Prime Minister for a hockey game, and now the CBC has revealed even more foolish spending on Challenger flights. Altogether, taxpayers paid $563,000 on unjustified air travel for the month of June alone.

Given so much wasteful spending, is the Minister of Finance not embarrassed by his little lecture to Europeans yesterday about their management of public money? Is that not the pot calling the kettle black?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have been very prudent in the use of government aircraft. If we compare, for example, what happened under the Liberal Party when the typical use of a Challenger for cabinet ministers was 153 flights a year, we are looking at about 24 or 25 flights in a year, a significant reduction.

That being said, in the process of our deficit reduction action plan, we are looking at all options for savings because we want to see the taxpayer dollars treated with respect. We do not want to see waste in any aspect of government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table and put on notice the following motion. I move:

That, in standing in solidarity with those seeking freedom in Libya, the House adopted government motions on March 21 and June 14, 2011 authorizing all necessary measures, including the use of the Canadian armed forces and military assets in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973; that given the current military situation and the success of National Transitional Council (NTC) and anti-Gaddafi forces to date, the House supports an extension of up to three months of the involvement of the Canadian armed forces operating with NATO in accordance with the legal mandate from the UNSC Resolution 1973; that the House continues to support Canada's engagement in all spheres in the rebuilding of a new Libya, including human rights, democratic development and the rule of law; that the House deplores the violence committed by the previous regime against the Libyan people, including the alleged use of rape as a weapon of war; that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development and the Standing Committee on National Defence shall remain seized of Canada's activities under UNSC Resolution 1973 and in the rebuilding of the new Libya; and that the House continues to offer its wholehearted and unconditional support to the brave men and women of the Canadian armed forces, who stand on guard for all of us, and continue to protect Libyan civilians from the risks still posed by the Gaddafi regime.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill in regard to the sale of feminine hygiene products and the extension of the GST because these products are a necessity. If we look at the experience of most women in Canada, it is a 40-year experience. These products are certainly not a luxury and that their use deems an exception from the GST.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bill of which I am very proud. It is in regard to support for our veterans and peacekeepers.

Too many veterans are denied benefits and former peacekeepers have been abandoned. We see the evidence of this with the many homeless veterans and people who depend on food banks.

In regard to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, it is important to have qualified members on the board, people with medical credentials and also individuals who have served in the Canadian Forces because they have experience of the reality of CF personnel.

Mr. Speaker, this bill seeks to re-establish the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. As we know, Canada is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and encourages the advancement and full participation of women in all spheres of life.

We know the commission was unceremoniously defunded in 1996 and its work was clearly not done. Its role was to advise the minister, promote gender equality and advance the full participation of women in our country.

With the current government, we have seen nothing but defunding of programs that would indeed advance the equality of women. It is time that we once again had an advocate who could advise the minister to ensure that women are regarded as they should be.

Mr. Speaker, this bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code to expand the definition of “identifiable group”, in relation to hate propaganda, to include any section of the public distinguished by sex.

As members will know, women are not included in this. The reality is that misogyny is alive and well and women need this protection. Therefore, I am pleased to extend this bill for consideration by the House.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is inspired by a number of realities, first and foremost, experiences in my riding.

When a parent is looking after a seriously ill child, six weeks is just not adequate. It simply will not do. I suggest and ask that the support period be extended to 15 weeks. When a child is seriously ill, the entire family suffers. Parents very often have to leave their jobs and the family is in a situation where it is financially stressed. When a child is ill, a family should not ever have to endure the extra concern of a financial impediment.

I would ask that members of the House consider the reality of families that deal with children who chronically or seriously ill and consider and support my bill.

Mr. Speaker, this bill arises out of some consultations that I have had this spring and summer with seniors and seniors' organizations. In our country the Consumer Price Index and our understanding of the poverty level that seniors are experiencing is inadequate.

My bill would amend the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Act to provide that pensions provided under those acts are indexed in accordance with this senior consumer price index. We have a different reality today in terms of the needs of individuals and I would hope the House would support the bill and, thus, the seniors of our country.

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I would ask for unanimous consent for the following motion:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, on Monday, September 26, 2011 the House shall consider the motion tabled earlier today by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons relating to Canada's engagement in all spheres in the rebuilding of a new Libya and at 15 minutes before the expiry of time provided for government orders on that day, any proceedings before the House shall be interrupted, if required for the purpose of this order, and in turn every question necessary for the disposal of the motion shall be put forthwith and successively without further debate or amendment.